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Download PDF Endorsing the government plea, the Supreme Court yesterday overruled the High Court order that stayed the trial of detained former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in an extortion case at a makeshift court.
Following a writ petition filed by Sheikh Hasina, the High Court on Sunday stayed the trial proceedings of the Tk 3-crore extortion case.
The High Court had also issued a rule upon the government to explain why the November 26 gazette notification directing the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge to hold the trial of Hasina and two others at a makeshift court “should not be declared without lawful authority”.
Following the High Court orders, the trial court judge, M Azizul Haque, postponed the trial proceedings against Hasina for next three months up to March 8, 2008.
Thereafter, the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice M Ruhul Amin stayed the High Court orders, removing the obstacle to hold the trial of the case at the relocated court in the parliament-building complex.
Reacting to the latest court orders, a top counsel for Hasina, Barrister Shafique Ahmed, told newsmen that it was “unheard of” as the court did not hear the other side. He said they were surprised and disappointed.
“In my 40 years of legal profession, I have never experienced such an event in the highest court of law,” he said.
Additional Attorney General Saleh Uddin Ahmed moved the stay petition, as it preferred leave to appeal to overturn the High Court orders.
A Special Public Prosecutor for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) told UNB yesterday evening that following the Supreme Court orders they informed the trial judge in writing about it.
Judge Azizul Haque in an order said he will take next course of action after receiving the certified copy of the Supreme Court orders.
Hasina was arrested on July 16 in connection with the case filed with Gulshan police station on June 13, while a sociopolitical purge has been underway in the interim period.
Hasina, her younger sister Sheikh Rahana, who lives in London, and detained cousin and former health minister Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim have also been implicated in the extortion case.
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